1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector, more particularly to an electrical connector adapted for use with different electronic cards.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of electronic cards, such as a memory stick (MS) card, a secure digital (SD) card, a multimedia card (MMC), a smart media (SM) card and an XD card, are currently available for storing electrical data of portable electronic devices, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera (DC), a digital video camera (DV), an MP3 player, etc.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional electrical connector assembly suitable for use with different electronic cards, such as MS, SM, SD and MMC cards. The conventional electrical connector assembly includes a circuit board 11 formed with a plurality of solder contacts 111, a first connector 2 mounted on the circuit board 11, and a second connector 1 mounted on the circuit board 11 and disposed adjacent to the first connector 2.
The first connector 2 includes a dielectric housing, which is composed of a base 20 and a cover 21 mounted on the base 20, having opposite first and second open ends 25, 27 and confining a card receiving space 23, and a set of first conductive terminals 24, 26, 28 mounted on the base 20, each of which has a first coupling end portion 241, 261, 281 extending outwardly of the dielectric housing through the second open end 27 and coupled electrically to a corresponding one of the solder contacts 111 on the circuit board 11, and a first contacting end portion 242, 262, 282 projecting into the card receiving space 23. The first contacting end portions 242 of the first conductive terminals 24 contact electrically and respectively a set of conductive contacts on one of standard SD and MMC cards when the latter is inserted into the card receiving space 23 through the second open end 27. The first conductive terminals 26, 28 can be reserved for switching and/or circuit protection purposes. The first connector 2 further includes a set of second conductive terminals 22 mounted on the base 20, each of which has a second coupling end portion 221 extending outwardly of the dielectric housing through the first open end 25 and coupled electrically to a corresponding one of the solder contacts 111 on the circuit board 11, and a second contacting end portion 222 projecting into the card receiving space 23 and contacting electrically a corresponding one of a set of conductive contacts on an SM card when the latter is inserted into the card receiving space 23 through the second open end 27.
The second connector 1 includes a connector seat 13 mounted on the circuit board 11 and disposed adjacent to the first open end 25 of the dielectric housing, and a set of third conductive terminals 12 mounted in the connector seat 13. Each third conductive terminal 12 has a third coupling end portion 121 extending outwardly of the connector seat 13 and distal to the first open end 25 of the dielectric housing, and coupled electrically to a corresponding one of the solder contacts 111 on the circuit board 11, and a third contacting end portion 122 opposite to the third coupling end portion 121, extending outwardly of the connector seat 13 and into the card receiving space 23 through the first open end 25 of the dielectric housing, disposed above the second conductive terminals 22, and contacting electrically a corresponding one of a set of conductive contacts on an MS card when the latter is inserted into the card receiving space 23 through the second open end 27.
It is noted that the solder contacts 111 on the circuit board 11 are split into three groups, i.e., a first group allocated for connection with the first coupling end portions 241, 261, 281 of the first conductive terminals 24, 26, 28 and disposed adjacent to the second open end 27 of the dielectric housing, a second group allocated for the second coupling end portions 221 of the second conductive terminals 22 and disposed between the first open end 25 of the dielectric housing and the connector seat 13, and a third group allocated for the third coupling end portions 121 of the third conductive terminals 12 and disposed distal to the first open end 25 of the dielectric housing, thereby resulting in a relatively complicated soldering process during fabrication. Furthermore, due to the use of the circuit board 11 that has a size sufficient to accommodate the first and second connectors 1, 2 thereon, the conventional electrical connector assembly has a relatively large thickness. Moreover, in view of the exposed first coupling end portions 241, 261, 281, oxidation and damage can easily occur.